Collapsible box or crate.



No. 823,967 PATENTED JUNE '19., 1906.

- W. B. PRICE.

- GOLLAPSIBLE BOX OR CRATE.

APPLICATION FILED-SEPT. 13. 1906.

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Be it known that I, WALTER B. PRICE, a citizen of the United States, residing at New Orleans, in the parish of Orleans and State of Louisiana, have invented new and useful Improvements in Collapsible Boxes or Crates, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to collapsible boxes or crates of the type embodying movable side and end walls, and has for its objects to produce a comparatively simple inexpensive device of this character in which the side walls may be readily released and removed to permit collapsing'of the crate, one in which the said wallswill when in active position be securely locked in place, and one wherein the locking elements or rods may be conveniently inserted or removed and will when in engaging position be secured against accidental displacement.

With these and other objects in view the invention comprises the novel features of construction and combination of parts more fully hereinafter described.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a vertical longitudinal section through a crate embodying the invention. Fig. 2 is an end view of the crate. Fig. 3 is a detail plan'view of one corner of the crate with the top slats removed. Fig. 4 is a side elevation of a view similar to Fig. 1 with the sides removed and the crate partially collapsed.

Referring to the drawings, it will be seen that the crate embodies a bottom 1, side walls 2, end walls 3, and a top 4, these parts, ex-

cept as hereinafter explained, being all ofthe usual or any appropriate construction and material. I v

' The end walls 3 embody in their organization corner pieces or stiles 5, pivoted at their lower ends, as at 6, to uprising longitudinal sills 7, provided at the side edges of the bottom 1, while the to 4 includes longitudinal side rails 8, pivote at their ends, as at 9, to the upper ends of the stiles 5, which latter are rounded at their lower ends at 10, whereby the top' and end walls of the crate-may when the side walls are removed be swung downward, as illustrated in Fig. 4, to collapsed position. I

The side Walls 2 are preferably composed of slats, as shown, attached to' transverse bracing pieces or cleats 11, designed to engage at their lower ends with the sills 7 and V f s pecification of Lettersfgtent.

Application filed September 13, 1905. Serial No, 278,302.

. in er d- June 9, 1 06- inwhich are fixed at apoint adjacent their upper ends screw-eyes 12, constituting guides for locking elements or rods 13, which when the crate is set up for use terminally engage the corner-pieces for locking the sides in place and under which conditions the cleats 11 bear at the inner faces of the corner-pieces, as seen in Figs. 1 and 3, for preventing collapsing .of the ,end walls.

The end walls 3 are preferably composed of slats 14, terminally fastened to the cornerpieces 5, the uppermost slat 10 of one of said walls being pivoted at one end by means of a pivoting member or screw to the adjacent corner-piece andhas its other end normally -fixed to the opposite corner-piece by means of a fastening device or screw 16, it being noted that the movable section or slat 14 normally rests in axial alinement with the guide members 12, whereby the rods 13 will when in position bear at one end against said slats.

In practice when the coop is set up for use end walls 3' are swung upward to vertical position, after which the sides are positioned,

with the cleats 11 bearing on the cornerpieces 5'to prevent collapsing'of the ends and the lower ends of the cleats 11 engaged with the sills 7, after which the rods 13 are inserted for engagement at their terminals with the corner-pieces to lock the sides in place, it-being apparant that in order to insert the rods the fastening member 16 may be removed and the movable slat 1.4 swung upward on its pivot to the position illustratedin Fig. 2, and, further, that after therods have been introduced the slat is returned to and secured in normal position, thus to bear at the adjacent ends of the rods and prevent their accidental displacement. To collapse the crate, the

movable-slat 14 is released and swung upward, whereby the rods 13 may be wit drawn and the side Walls 2 removed and the crate collapsed by downward pressure on the to 4. From the foregoing it is apparent that I produce a simple device admirably adapted for the attainment of the ends in view, it being understood that minor changes in the details herein set forth may be resorted to with out departing from the spirit of the invention. Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

foldable side and end wall, guides provided on one of said walls, a locking element removably arranged in the guides and designed 5 for engagement with the otherwall to fix the walls in set-up relation, a movable section carried by the second wall and adapted to hear at one terminal of the element for main- In a collapsible crate, a bottom, an intertaining the same in place, and means for fixing the section against movement.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

WALTER B. PRICE. Witnesses:

W. J. THOMPSON, Jos. MURPHY. 

